This invention relates to the disproportionation of olefinic hydrocarbons. In one aspect, the invention relates to the disproportionation of olefinic hydrocarbons by contact with a catalyst selected from a Group VIB metal cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl nitrosyl complex in the presence of an alkylaluminum halide. In another aspect, this invention relates to catalysts for olefin hydrocarbon disproportionation.
The olefin metathesis or disproportionation reaction has been found to be general for a large number of olefins and can be catalyzed by a variety of complexes. By disproportionation or metathesis in this application is meant a reaction in which one or more olefinic hydrocarbon compounds are transformed into other olefins of different molecular weights. More specifically, disproportionation is defined as the conversion of an olefinic hydrocarbon into similar hydrocarbons of higher and lower numbers of carbon atoms per molecule. For example, 1-hexene can be disproportionated to ethylene and 5-decene. The olefinic products of the present invention, for the most part, have established uses such as starting materials for the production of polymers, aldehydes, alcohols and plasticizers.